Bedroom Decorating Secrets

English Elegance

For a '30s Tudor home in Dallas, architect Ralph Duesing, with designers Cathy Kincaid and Charles Birdsong, created an elegant bedroom that pays homage to the heritage of the house.

What Makes It Work
• A generous, sheltering bed. The domed canopy and bed curtains lend a softness that counteracts all the wood. The bed's lacquered finish provides additional polish.

• Modern-day amenities. An intercom is disguised as an old-fashioned bell system, like those once used in English houses, and a sound system is hidden inside the walls, so you never see a speaker grille. The most charming touch: dog beds are concealed inside the paneling.

Bedroom Basics: Most designers agree that sisal is too rough to feel comfortable on bare feet. For neutral texture, braided sea grass is much softer. If you prefer carpet, consider having it bound and installed as an area rug.